Telescoping clothes dryer structure

ABSTRACT

A plurality of interengaging sliding, hollow elements of essentially rectangular cross-sectional area are so arranged that the hollow profiles have guide surfaces formed on the outside and the inside, the profiles being additionally formed with interengaging projections and recesses at the horizontal sides of the rectangular profiled elements, so that the weight of clothes being hung on the dryer is accepted by the guide surfaces, and the guide surfaces do not distort. Preferably a pair of parallel arms are provided with rods interengaging the arms, secured to stubs attached to the telescoping interengaging elements, the stubs sliding in open notches formed in adjacent telescoping elements, to form a rigid assembly, which can support the weight of laundry hung thereon, without deformation.

United States Patent 1 Steiner 1 Jan. 8, 1974 TELESCOPING CLOTHES DRYERSTRUCTURE [76] Inventor: Walter Steiner, Oberseeverstrasse [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS1,103,997 7/1914 Nelson 211/87 3,451,506 6/1969 Neal 182/195 1,567,44712/1925 McCracken 182/195 X 1,491,059 4/1924 Otten 1,264,864 4/1918 Roth211/94.5 UX

Primary ExaminerRoy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Richard L. Stroup Attorne y: Frishauf [5 7] ABSTRACT A plurality of interengaging sliding,hollow elements of essentially rectangular cross-sectional area are soarranged that the hollow profiles have guide surfaces formed on theoutside and the inside, the profiles being additionally formed withinter-engaging projections and recesses at the horizontal sides of therectangular profiled elements, so that the weight of clothes being hungon the dryer is accepted by the guide surfaces, and the guide surfacesdo not distort. Preferably a pair of parallel arms are provided withrods interengaging the arms, secured to stubs attached to thetelescoping interengaging elements, the stubs sliding in open notchesformed in adjacent telescoping elements, to form a rigid assembly, whichcan support the weight of laundry hung thereon, without deformation.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 3,552,594 l/197l Lewis et al.... 220/83,481,428 12/1969 Merrit et al 182/46 PATENTEBJAN 8l974 3.784.020

sum 20? 2 1 TELESCOPING CLOTHES DRYER STRUCTURE The present inventionrelates to a telescoping clothes dryer, and particularly to a clothesdryer which can be expanded and extended so that it will have a goodclothes-drying capacity but being easily collapsed to a small size forstorage when not needed.

Clothes dryers, on which clothes to be dried are to be hung, havingtelescopic arms, have previously been proposed. For ease of use, theclothes dryers should be so constructed that the telescoping elementseasily slide with respect to each other, yet are sufficiently guided andrestrained from movement so that, when wet clothes are hung thereon(which are comparatively heavy) the arms and the portions thereof willnot be bent out of shape, or deflect substantially from their givenshape. This requirement of stiffness, even when extended, is difficultto meet and known arrangements, for example using cylindrical, tubularelements after some time in operation will become loose, so that theindividual parts will have some play with respect to each other. If suchclothes dryer arms are interconnected by rope or other clothes lines,the arms, due to their play, will deflect towards each other causingexcessive slack between the lines and thus poor hanging capability ofthe clothes, which will tend to slide to the bottom-most point of theclothes line.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a telescoping,easily-storable clothes hanger which can be extended or pushed together,and which retains its form even after extended use.

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Briefly, theseveral slideelements of telescopic arms are formed in rectangular, hollow profileshape. The surfaces which are subject to load bearing, that-is, the topand bottom horizontally oriented surfaces have additional guide surfacesassociated therewith which cooperate with matching guide surfaces onadjacent telescopic elements. These additional guide surfaces can beformed on interengaging projections and grooves, for example extendinghorizontally or in dovetail form, or-otherwise shaped.

In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, a pair oftelescopic arms are provided, the arms themselves being interconnectedby rigid rods secured to stubs located on corresponding telescopingsliders of the two arms.

By using not only the horizontal guide surfaces provided by squareprofiles alone, but by additionally providing further guide surfaces,the reliability of guidance of telescoping elements is greatly enhanced,and the loading of the individual guide surfaces is decreased, so thatthey will wear less, and the tendency to deform, and thus result in playbetween the elements, is decreased.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the additional guidesurfaces are parallel to the horizontal guiding surfaces formed by thesquare profiled elements, interengaging with horizontal guide surfaceson an adjacent element, to provide for guiding of interengaging elementsnot only-at the top and bottom of the square profiles, but alsointermediate the height thereof.

The rods or poles interengaging the elements of adjacent armssimultaneously can provide for lateral guidance of the sliding elementsof the telescoping arms. Each one of the telescopic elements, or anypredetermined number, may have one or more stubs to receive the rods onwhich clothes are to be hung. If only a telescopic arm is provided,clothes can be hung on it. The stubs holding the rods connecting a pairof arms are preferably so located that they can be received in a slot ofthe preceding slider, the corresponding sliders of the two telescopicarms being securely connected to the rods to form a rigid unit. Therigid interconnection of two corresponding sliders with theinterconnecting clothes holding rods practically avoids stress on thelateral guide surfaces formed by the square profile.

To prevent extension of the telescopic arms beyond the limits of anytelescopic element, spring catches are provided which, when thetelescopic arms are extended, engage a notch or catch of the precedingelement of the telescopic arms. Thus, the distance of extension of eachindividual telescopic element is limited in length to prevent theelements from being pulled'out from each other.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the telescope enclosed dryer, showing a pair ofarms which are extended;

'FIG. 2 is a section along lines ll II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a telescopic element with a subsequent elementtherein;

FIG. 4 is a section along lines IV IV of FIG. 3, and rotated withrespect to'FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view through the terminal slider of thedryer of FIG. 1.

The dryer has a pair of telescoping arms 1, 2, which are interconnectedby cross rods 31. If only a single arm, such as arm 1 is provided, thecross rods need not be supplied and clothes can be hung on this singletelescoping arm. Arm 1 is formed of a number of slider elements 3 9; arm2 has the same number of sliders l0 16. The number of sliders for eachtelescoping arm can be selected in accordance with design requirementsat random.

At the sides facing each other, the sliders have retaining or bearingstubs 17 30 located thereon, the stubs 17 30 accepting the cross rod 31and being generally cylindrical (see FIG. 4.). Each two correspondingsliders, such as slider 3 and 10;.4 and 11; 5 and 12; etc., togetherwith the interconnecting cross rod 31 form a fixed unit. Interconnectingcorresponding sliders by a fixed and essentially rigidrod greatlyincreases the stability of the entire assembly. Additionally, as wetclothes are hung on the rod 31, sliders 3 16 will be locked together.

The sliders are formed with side notches 32 38 so that the sliders 3 16can be telescoped together (see FIG. 3, 4). As best seen in FIG. 4,those sliders which have to accept a subsequent slider are formed as ahollow, rectangular profile. The slits 32 38, as best seen in FIG. 3with slit 35, are located at inner side wall of the slider receiving theone carrying the stub, so that the stubs 1'8 23, can be received withinthe notches or grooves 32 38. Telescopic arm 2 has its slides likewiseformed with slots or grooves to receive the stubs 25 30.

The terminal sliders 9 16 need not be hollow since no further slider hasto be accepted therein.

Those slider elements which are to receive a subsequent slider elementand guide the subsequent element,

that is, sliders 3 8 (arm 1) and 10 (arm 2) have a specially arrangedprofile both at their exterior as well as at theirinterior surfaces, theprofile being specifically selected with respect tothe use to which thetelescoping arm is to be put. As best seen in FIG. 4, the profile 5 hasa pair of outer horizontal guide surfaces 40, 41 and a pair of innerhorizontal guide surfaces 42, 43. Guide surfaces 40, 41 accept the loadtransferred thereto due to the laundry hung on the dryer. it is anessential feature that these guide surfaces 40, 41 and 42, 43 haveadditional guide portions associated therewith. The outer guide surface40 has associated with it further guide portions 44, 45; the outer guidesurface 41 has associated with it further guide portions 46, 47. Theinner guide surface 42 has associated therewith the further guideportions 48, 49; and the inner guide surface 43 has associated therewiththe further guide portions 50, 51. Thus, the outer guide surfacesand theassociated further guide portions cooperate with the inner guidesurfaces and the associated further guide portions of the precedingslider element; the inner guide surfaces andthe associated further guideportionscooperate with the outer guide surfaces and the associatedfurther guide portions of the subsequent slider element.

The additional guide portions provide a type of interlock, in the formof interengaging teeth, and the comparatively great number of the guideportions, and their extent, results in small unitary loading thereof,thus resulting in ease of telescoping sliding with very low wear, andpractically no deformation even on the load.

The further guide portions 48 51 overlie projection 52 55 whichsimultaneously form locally limited guide portions for the lateralguidance of the subsequent slider, received within a preceding slider.Ifa pair of telescoping arms are interconnected by essentially rigidrods 31, the lateral forces of a pair of sliders are comparatively low,due to this fixed interconnection, so that it is not necessary toprovide guidance over an entire vertical side of the arm.

FIG. 4'has been drawn specifically to clearly show the guide surfaces.The inner horizontal and vertical guide portions are chain dotted, theouter guide portions are chain double dotted.

Anelastic, springy catch is provided to prevent removal of one elementfrom within another, as the telescoping arm is extended. The catch 54 isengaged by a shoulder (55) at the end of a groove (56), the catch (54)of a subsequent slider engaging preceding shoulder (55). Catch 54 isresilient and springy springiness is obtained by a pair of slits(57,58).

The end slider 9 is shown in cross-section in FIG. 5.

Since slider 9 does not have to accept a subsequent slider, it need notbe hollow, and the slider is formed only with the outer guide surfaceswhich, therefore, are correspondingly double chain-dotted. Slider 9,too, has an elastic catch 54, the elasticity being obtained by groove59.

The first stub 17 in which a cross-rod 31 is located is placed belowslot 32 of slider 3, since, otherwise, it would be too close to the endportion 61 of the first element. The end portions 61 are laterallyextended so that they can be inserted in holders for attachment, forexample, to a wall (not shown). Such attachment, for example, byengaging trapeze-shaped inserts are well known and need not be describedindetail. Locating the stubs 17, 24 on sliders 3 and 10, of offset withre- 4 spect to the end of the slot 32 provides sufficient space at theend stub to hold laundry even over the very first connecting rod 31. 7

It is not necessary that each slider be provided with stubs and rods ifthe telescoping arms, themselves, are long enough, more than one rod canbe placed thereon, for example offset as stub 17 on slider 3 so that thevarious cross rods 31 will not be too close together.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the inventiveconcept.

1 claim:

l. Telescoping clothes dryer structure comprising two essentiallyidentical facing telescoping arms l, 2), each arm including a pluralityof interengaging sliding hollow elements (3-8, 10-15) having inner andouter sides, respective elements decreasing in size to telescope intoeach other;

a plurality of clothes supporting rods (31 each rod connecting the innersides of respective elements of the facing arms and securing saidelements together into a rigid unit;

and slots (32-38) formed at the inner sides of the elements andextending longitudinally of the elements so that the extending rodsinterconnecting the elements will be accepted in the slots when theelements are slidably telescoped into each other.

2. Dryer structure according to claim 1 including a bearing stub (17-30)attached to the sides of at least some of the. sliding elements (3-9;10-16) of the arms (1,2); the rods being secured in the stubs;

the slots (32-38) formed in the sides of adjacent elements being ofsufficient size to accept the stubs when the arms are in telescopedcondition.

3. Dryer structure according to claim 1, wherein the elements have twotransverse profiles which are essentially. a rectangle having shorterand longer sides with inside and outside surfaces, guide surfaces (40,41; 42, 43) formed at the shorter sides of the profile and projections(52, 53, 54, S5) and grooves (44, 45, 46, 47) formed at one or moresides of the elements, the inside and outside surfaces of adjacentelements being in engagement and the projections and grooves being ininterlocking engagement to provide load bearing surfaces for'thetelescoping elements upon extension of the arm.

4. Dryer structure according to claim 3, wherein the projections andgrooves are located at longer sides of the elements. I

5. Dryer structure according to claim 4 wherein further guide surfacesare formed at the projections and grooves, said further guide surfacesbeing essentially parallel to the guide surfaces formed at the shortersides of the rectangle.

6. Dryer structure according to claim 1, wherein at least some of thetelescoping elements are formed with an elastically springy catch (54),and a groove having a shoulder (55) located in the preceding next largeslider, the catch engaging against the shoulder of the preceding sliderto prevent removal of the next subsequent slider from within thetelescoping arm.

7. Telescoping clothes dryer structure wherein a pair of essentiallyidentical telescoping arms and cross connecting rods (31) are provided,the rods spacing the arms from each other, each of said telescoping armscomprising a plurality of interengaging sliding, hollow elements (38;10-15) the respective elements decreasing in size to telescope into eachother, the elements each having a transverse profile which isessentially a rectangle having shorter and longer sides and having guidesurfaces (40, 41; 46, 47) formed at the shorter sides of the rectangle,some of said elements of one of said arms being rigidly interconnectedby a rod into a unit with the respective element of the other of saidarms, the longer sides of the rectangle forming inner and outer sides,one or more of, said sides being formed with slots extendinglongitudinally of the arms and of sufficient width to permit the rods tobe received therein.

8. Dryer structure according to claim 1 including a bearing stub (17-30)attached to the inner sides of at least some of the slider elements(3-9; -16) of the arms, the slots (32-38) being formed in the innersides of adjacent elements being of sufficient size to accept the stubswhen the arms are in telescoped conditions, the rods being secured inthe stubs.

9. Dryer structure according to claim 7, wherein projections and groovesare located at one or more sides of the elements.

10. Dryer structure according to claim 9, wherein the projections andgrooves are located at the longer sides to provide laterally limitingguide portions for lateral guidance of an inner telescoping element withrespect to its preceding outer telescoping element.

1. Telescoping clothes dryer structure comprising two essentiallyidentical facing telescoping arms (1, 2), each arm including a pluralityof interengaging sliding hollow elements (3-8, 1015) having inner andouter sides, respective elements decreasing in size to telescope intoeach other; a plurality of clothes supporting rods (31), each rodconnecting the inner sides of respective elements of the facing arms andsecuring said elements together into a rigid unit; and slots (32-38)formed at the inner sides of the elements and extending longitudinallyof the elements so that the extending rods interconnecting the elementswill be accepted in the slots when the elements are slidably telescopedinto each other.
 2. Dryer structure according to claim 1 including abearing stub (17-30) attached to the sides of at least some of thesliding elements (3-9; 10-16) of the arms (1,2); the rods being securedin the stubs; the slots (32-38) formed in the sides of adjacent elementsbeing of sufficient size to accept the stubs when the arms are intelescoped condition.
 3. Dryer structure according to claim 1, whereinthe elements have two transverse profiles which are essentially arectangle having shorter and longer sides with inside and outsidesurfaces, guide surfaces (40, 41; 42, 43) formed at the shorter sides ofthe profile and projections (52, 53, 54, 55) and grooves (44, 45, 46,47) formed at one or more sides of the elements, the inside and outsidesurfaces of adjacent elements being in engagement and the projectionsand grooves being in interlocking engagement to provide load bearingsurfaces for the telescoping elements upon extension of the arm. 4.Dryer structure according to claim 3, wherein the projections andgrooves are located at longer sides of the elements.
 5. Dryer structureaccording to claim 4 wherein further guide surfaces are formed at theprojections and grooves, said further guide surfaces being essentiallyparallel to the guide surfaces formed at the shorter sides of therectangle.
 6. Dryer structure according to claim 1, wherein at leastsome of the telescoping elements are formed with an elastically springycatch (54), and a groove having a shoulder (55) located in the precedingnext large slider, the catch engaging against the shoulder of thepreceding slider to prevent removal of the next subsequent slider fromwithin the telescoping arm.
 7. Telescoping clothes dryer structurewherein a pair of essentially identical telescoping arms and crossconnecting rods (31) are provided, the rods spacing the arms from eachother, each of said telescoping arms comprising a plurality ofinterengaging sliding, hollow elements (3-8; 10-15) the respectiveelements decreasing in size to telescope into each other, the elementseach having a transverse profile which is essentially a rectangle havingshorter and longer sides and having guide surfaces (40, 41; 46, 47)formed at the shorter sides of the rectangle, some of said elements ofone of said arms being rigidly interconnected by a rod into a unit withthe respective element of the other of said arms, the longer sides ofthe rectangle forming inner and outer sides, one or more of, said sidesbeing formed with slots extending longitudinally of the arms and ofsufficient width to permit the rods to be received therein.
 8. Dryerstructure according to claim 1 including a bearing stub (17-30) attachedto the inner sides of at least some of the slider elements (3-9; 10-16)of the arms, the slots (32-38) being formed in the inner sides ofadjacent elements being of sufficient size to accept the stubs when thearms are in telescoped condItions, the rods being secured in the stubs.9. Dryer structure according to claim 7, wherein projections and groovesare located at one or more sides of the elements.
 10. Dryer structureaccording to claim 9, wherein the projections and grooves are located atthe longer sides to provide laterally limiting guide portions forlateral guidance of an inner telescoping element with respect to itspreceding outer telescoping element.